24.3.1812

Sender

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Sender’s Location

Rom

Recipient

Christian 8.

Recipient’s Location

København

Information on recipient

Tilskrift: Til / Hans Høyhed F. Christian / Prinds til Danmark og Norge &c &c &c.

Dating based on

Dateringen fremgår af brevet.

Abstract

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

Document

Naadige Prinds,

Den bevaagne Skrivelse af 20de December f.A., hvormed det har behaget Deres Høyhed at beære mig, er modtagen og gjennemlæst med de behagelige Følelser og den varme Taknemmelighed som en saadan Skrivelse fra en saadan Haand nødvendig maae opvække hos en Dansk, der med den inderligste Kjærlighed til Fædrelandet i saamange Aar har maattet see sig den Forhaabning berøvet engang igjen, om endog kun for en kort Tid, at skue de Arnesteder, hvis Værd ey selv Italien har kundet forminske. Med hvor gunstige Udsigter for de skjønne Kunsters Fremtarv vil jeg ikke kunne vende tilbage! Det samme Academie der har ledet mig med hjelpsom Haand indtil jeg havde Styrke nok til at fortsætte den begyndte Bane, og som altsaa har saameget Krav paa min uudslettelige Erkjendtlighed, dette samme Academie skal jeg faae at see igjen under en Prindses Bestyrelse, der vil fremkalde en smilende Fremtid for de skjønne Kunster i mit Fædreland. De behagelig[e] Efterretninger, saa mangen en Landsmand har givet mig om de velgjørende Frugter af Deres Høyheds ædle Iver og Beskyttelse, havde allerede længe forberedet mig til at see en nye og lys Epoke i vor Kunsthistorie imøde, og jeg ventede med længsel efter en nøjere Beretning om Academiets Tilstand, da Deres Høyheds naadige Skrivelse paa den mest smigrende Maade overraskede mig. Havde min Barm en[d] ikke upaamindet været saa opflammet som den er af den stærkeste Fædrelandskjærlighed og den varmeste Følelse for de Gjenstande, der udgjør min kjereste Syssel, vilde Deres saa kraftige Opmuntringer og mig saa ærefulde Tillid til mine Evner upaatvivlelig have været tilstrækkelig, naadige Prinds, til at opildne den dulmende Gnist. Deres Høyhed tillader mig at forsikkre Dem om at Deres skjønne Exempel vil forøge min ivrige Stræben efter at medvirke til de skjønne Kunsters Tarv og Fremme i mit Fædreland og jeg skal stedse findes at være et redebont Hjelpemiddel til at udføre Deres store og vegjørende Plan.
Af denne Aarsag har jeg, saasnart jeg havde modtaget Deres Høyheds naadige Skrivelse, begyndt at søge jevne de Hindringer, der kan være for min Afrejse til Fødelandet paa nogen Tid; thi at blive for stedse er vel, som De Selv meget rigtig anmærker, nu neppe mere gjørligt. Men uagtet al muelig Anstrængelse vil det ikke være mig mueligt at fuldende de Arbejder, der ved Kontrakt ere bestemte at være færdige til en vis Tid, før næst[e] Aar, ej heller vilde jeg som nu for Tiden lønnet Professor ved Kunstacademiet St: Lucca her i Rom, kunne strax uden udvirket Tilladelse forlade denne Stad. – Jeg vil følgelig ey før efter omtrent et Aars Forløb kunne nyde den Glæde personlig at have den Ære at tilbyde Deres Høyhed alle mine Kræfter[s] Anstrængelse paa at opfylde den Bestemmelse, De maatte værdiges at give mig. –
Den Efterretning, Deres Høyhed har den Bevaagenhed at meddeele mig; at der er funden et Marmorbrud med hvidt Marmor i Norge, som fuldkommen er skikket til Bearbejdning og altsaa ej er saa blødt som det øvrige norske Marmor, er saare ønskelig. Det Stykke til Prøve som Baron v Schubart har taget med sig og som han nyelig har tilsendt mig er fuldkommen overensstemmende med Deres Høyheds Yttring og kan fuldkommen sættes ved Siden af det Carrariske.
Det synes som om Naturen selv nu vil indbyde Dans og Nors Sønner til med fornyet Iver at Arbeide under Deres Høyheds Vejledning til at fremme Deres herlige og ædle Formaal med de skjønne Kunsters Udbredelse i Fædrelandet.
Rom, d. 24. Marts 1812

Underdanigst
A. Thorvaldsen.

Oversættelse af dokument

Gracious Prince,

The favour of December 20th last year with which it has pleased Your Highness to honour me, has been received and perused with the pleasant feelings and the warm gratitude which such a letter from such a hand inevitably must awaken in a Dane, who with the most sincere love for his native land for so many years has had to find himself deprived of the hope once more again even for a short time to see the fireplaces the value of which even Italy has not been able to reduce. With how favourable prospects for the advancement of the fine arts I shall be able to return! The same Academy of Fine Arts which has helpfully taken me by the hand until I had strength enough successfully to continue the course I had started, and which so has so much claim to my indelible gratitude, this same Academy of Fine Arts I shall see again under a Prince’s leadership, which will bring about a smiling future for the fine arts in my native land. The pleasant news many a countryman has given me about the pleasant fruits of the noble zest and protection of Your Highness had already for long prepared me to anticipate a new and light epoch in our history of art, and I was anxiously expecting a more detailed report of the situation of the Academy of Fine Arts, when the gracious letter from Your Highness surprised me in the most flattering way. If my bosom had not without being reminded been so aflame as it is with the strongest love for my country and the warmest feeling for the objects which form my dearest pursuit your very strong encouragements and the for me so honourable confidence in my skills doubtless have been sufficient, Gracious Prince, to enflame the smouldering spark. Will Your Highness permit me to assure you that your beautiful example will increase my zealous endeavour to contribute to the needs and advancement of fine arts in my native land and you will always find me to be a willing help to carry out your great and pleasant plan.
For this reason, as soon as I had received Your Highness’ favourable letter I have begun to seek to smooth away the obstacles there may be to my departure to my native land for some time; for to stay there for ever is, I suppose, hardly possible any longer, as Your Highness yourself rightly points out. But notwithstanding all possible efforts it will not be possible for me to finish the works which by contract have been fixed to be finished at a certain time, before next year, neither will I as a paid professor at present at the Academy of Fine Arts St: Luca here in Rome immediately and without obtained permission be able to leave this City – Consequently not before about a year shall I be able to enjoy the pleasure personally to have the honour to offer to Your Highness all efforts of my power to fulfil the purpose you may deign to grant me. –
The information Your Highness favours to give me: that a marble quarry with white marble has been discovered in Norway which fully lends itself to working up and thus is not as soft as the rest of Norwegian marble, is much desired. The piece for sample which Baron v Schubart has taken with him and which he has recently sent to me agrees completely with Your Highness’ statement and can perfectly match Carrara marble.
It seems as if Nature herself will invite Dan’s and Nor’s sons to work with renewed zest under the guidance of Your Highness to promote your grand and noble purpose of the extension of the fine arts in the native land.
Rome, March 24th 1812

Most humbly,
A. Thorvaldsen.


[Translated by Karen Husum]

General Comment

Der findes et udkast til brevet i Thorvaldsens eget arkiv, se hertil konceptet dateret 16.3.1812.

Document Type

Færdigt egenhændigt dokument

Archival Reference

Rigsarkivet, Kunstakademiets arkiv.

Thiele

Gengivet hos Thiele II, p. 201-203.

Persons

Last updated 07.10.2014